An Update From the Beach

Since the sun rises around 6 am here, we woke up extra early this morning, before anyone in the house.

We’re sipping our coffees and looking out the windows at the dreary, overcast day that waits for us outside. The weather hasn’t been great this trip, which sort of matches the last few times we’ve driven down here. PJ told me yesterday, in so many words, that he basically hates being at the beach when it rains, and I have to say, I agree. The kids can’t swim in the pool, we can’t all go to the beach and the amount of work we can do on the exterior of our new beach shack is limited.

So we’ve been playing puzzles the last few days, something the kids are surprisingly having a ton of fun with and are actually really good at. I love watching them get excited about finding a matching piece and connecting it with another one. Especially Anna, who’s excitement over them is palpable.

In fact, she and Allan just woke up and sleepily waddled into the living room and the first thing she did was open the drawer that’s full of games and grab the little jigsaw 100 piece puzzle and dumped it on the table. A good way to start off the day.

Yesterday we went to the new house and started emptying it out of all the stuff the previous owners left. We found ourselves not wanting to leave, imagining what it’ll look like some day and how we’ll use it when it’s finished. I have this vision of us walking barefoot through the front yard to the beach with the kids with just a few towels and maybe a bucket, just the essentials to have a good time on the sand. One day!

Matt and Beau made us an incredible dinner the other night: Oven roasted chicken with rosemary potatoes and a chickpea tahini salad. We ate it on the balcony of the condo we’re staying at, which was made even more special because of the view. There’s a straight line to the ocean!!

This summer most likely won’t be for completing the house though. With Getaway House and Holiday House underway, and one of them so close to being finished, we’re focusing our full attention on those two before starting a renovation so far away from home. That didn’t stop PJ from meeting with contractors and lining up people to start working on certain things in the meantime, of course. You know how he is. And thank goodness, because right now we don’t have an HVAC system and we’re relying strictly on wall units to cool the house down. Something tells me that won’t cut it down here in the middle of the summer.